Need to add small (under 12x10mm) BLE module to handheld device to be able to periodically download data from the device to smartphone, handheld device can provide its data via I2C pins.

RE: Need to add small (under 12x10mm) BLE module to handheld device to be able to periodically download data from the device to smartphone, handheld device can provide its data via I2C pins.

Nguyen Hoan Hoang — Fri, 10 Aug 2018 21:53:52 GMT

How about this one 10x7mm https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3cBkWzkACo

RE: Need to add small (under 12x10mm) BLE module to handheld device to be able to periodically download data from the device to smartphone, handheld device can provide its data via I2C pins.

Alex — Fri, 10 Aug 2018 20:41:19 GMT

USA/FL

RE: Need to add small (under 12x10mm) BLE module to handheld device to be able to periodically download data from the device to smartphone, handheld device can provide its data via I2C pins.

awneil — Fri, 10 Aug 2018 20:09:47 GMT

[quote userid="72852" url="~/f/nordic-q-a/36676/need-to-add-small-under-12x10mm-ble-module-to-handheld-device-to-be-able-to-periodically-download-data-from-the-device-to-smartphone-handheld-device-can-provide-its-data-via-i2c-pins/143758"] Is there like a website with database of nrf51 coders that are available to help? [/quote]

That would be a great idea.

Where are you based?

RE: Need to add small (under 12x10mm) BLE module to handheld device to be able to periodically download data from the device to smartphone, handheld device can provide its data via I2C pins.

howard n2wx — Fri, 10 Aug 2018 18:34:45 GMT

Hello Alex, the SDK has examples for #1 and many examples of #2. For a bulletproof product you're slightly oversimplifying in that you've not talked about how you'd want to handle link security issues such as who can connect to what and whether or not you'll be encrypting, how to deal with firmware updates if at all, the I2C clock rate, the nominal and max throughput, power budgeting, what do do on link loss and link recovery, commissioning system installations, and possibly more.

For #3 a GAP peripheral designed to connect to one central at a time will advertise only when it's not connected. Nordic's softdevice, properly configured, will serve its own GATT and talk to the other side's GATT server. The beauty of the softdevice arrangement is that if you write cooperative functions you'll be able to concentrate on the business processes and they'll run alongside the softdevice.

Don't know about #4 but I'm curious too Best Regards, Howard

RE: Need to add small (under 12x10mm) BLE module to handheld device to be able to periodically download data from the device to smartphone, handheld device can provide its data via I2C pins.

Alex — Fri, 10 Aug 2018 16:09:40 GMT

Hi All, thanks again for support, more questions:

So I purchased nrf51 DK board and did few quick tests just to see what is does, etc. I am currently using mBed for its simplicity and using some examples from repository and so far so good. Now what I want to archive seems doable so let me share couple things the way I see them and also couple questions, maybe someone can help a little.

1. I am thinking to make simple program that will be running on nrf51 and configured it to be I2C slave, so when our Master device has some data to export it will simply push it to nrf51 via I2C protocol in small data packets.

To make this possible It looks like I2C library for nrf51 already exist and I just need to configure code properly and have couple functions that will process data from Master device when it pushed in.

2. Subsequently when nrf51 received data from Master device via I2C protocol it will then send it wirelessly to connected BLE device such as smartphone or tablet and it looks like libraries for that also already exist and I just need to configure code so that it sends my variable (or array) to the BLE device

Seems like code like that would not be too complex, maybe just couple hundred lines or I am oversimplifying things? What do you think?

3. Now the question: what is the most reliable way to maintain connection between our device and remote BLE device, do I need to advertise data or connect them with GATT protocol, I just want to make sure I am planning in right direction so to speak, I want to make sure that data exchange between our device and remote device is brief and fast with as less delay as possible. Our data packets are not large, perhaps 20 - 30 bites per batch.

4. And another question, what is the best place to find and hire freelancer that can help with writing program like that? Is there like a website with database of nrf51 coders that are available to help?

Thank you in advance.

RE: Need to add small (under 12x10mm) BLE module to handheld device to be able to periodically download data from the device to smartphone, handheld device can provide its data via I2C pins.

awneil — Wed, 25 Jul 2018 14:44:02 GMT

The way to get started, as noted, is with a Dev Kit.

RE: Need to add small (under 12x10mm) BLE module to handheld device to be able to periodically download data from the device to smartphone, handheld device can provide its data via I2C pins.

awneil — Wed, 25 Jul 2018 14:43:03 GMT

[quote userid="72852" url="~/f/nordic-q-a/36676/need-to-add-small-under-12x10mm-ble-module-to-handheld-device-to-be-able-to-periodically-download-data-from-the-device-to-smartphone-handheld-device-can-provide-its-data-via-i2c-pins/141361"]BLE modules are essentially a powerful microcontrollers with RF functionality[/quote]

Not all modules allow you to program the chip(s) inside them.

As ever, you need to study the documentation carefully to understand exactly what you are - and are not - getting.

[quote userid="72852" url="~/f/nordic-q-a/36676/need-to-add-small-under-12x10mm-ble-module-to-handheld-device-to-be-able-to-periodically-download-data-from-the-device-to-smartphone-handheld-device-can-provide-its-data-via-i2c-pins/141361"]with next projects I will enforce to build product around BLE module[/quote]

No, don't just blindly do that! You need to think about the specific requirements of each case and how best to meet them.

RE: Need to add small (under 12x10mm) BLE module to handheld device to be able to periodically download data from the device to smartphone, handheld device can provide its data via I2C pins.

Alex — Wed, 25 Jul 2018 14:33:47 GMT

Correct, we have existing project that is already in production and BLE is a bonus that can be added since we had reserved I2C and power pins to be able to add any peripherals in future and this is one of those cases.

I do understand now that BLE modules are essentially a powerful microcontrollers with RF functionality by BLE protocol. So with next projects I will enforce to build product around BLE module from start.

RE: Need to add small (under 12x10mm) BLE module to handheld device to be able to periodically download data from the device to smartphone, handheld device can provide its data via I2C pins.

Alex — Wed, 25 Jul 2018 14:31:10 GMT

Thank you, I am looking into it now, there are indeed few units that will fit right in, I think the most challenging part in anything is not to actually start learning SDK but rather getting all pieces of the puzzle together about how to get started. Thank you again.

RE: Need to add small (under 12x10mm) BLE module to handheld device to be able to periodically download data from the device to smartphone, handheld device can provide its data via I2C pins.

awneil — Sat, 21 Jul 2018 09:54:09 GMT

So you have an existing product, and you're adding BLE to it - yes?

IF you were starting from scratch, there would probably be no point in having the separate microcontroller - the Nordic chips can certainly do anything that an ATMega could ...

RE: Need to add small (under 12x10mm) BLE module to handheld device to be able to periodically download data from the device to smartphone, handheld device can provide its data via I2C pins.

awneil — Sat, 21 Jul 2018 09:50:19 GMT

[quote userid="2867" url="~/f/nordic-q-a/36676/need-to-add-small-under-12x10mm-ble-module-to-handheld-device-to-be-able-to-periodically-download-data-from-the-device-to-smartphone-handheld-device-can-provide-its-data-via-i2c-pins/140880"]There are quite a few ready-built modules which come pre-certified[/quote]

In fact, there is a huge number!

Nordic have a list of the ones they know about - undoubtedly, there are more:

https://www.nordicsemi.com/eng/Products/3rd-Party-Bluetooth-low-energy-Modules

Note that some modules come ready-loaded with firmware to handle the BLE comms, and provide some API (eg, AT Commands) for control by an external Host.

[quote userid="2867" url="~/f/nordic-q-a/36676/need-to-add-small-under-12x10mm-ble-module-to-handheld-device-to-be-able-to-periodically-download-data-from-the-device-to-smartphone-handheld-device-can-provide-its-data-via-i2c-pins/140880"]For development the best thing, in my opinion, would be to purchase a Nordic nRF52 development board[/quote]

If you're going to develop your own firmware, that is certainly the way to go.

RE: Need to add small (under 12x10mm) BLE module to handheld device to be able to periodically download data from the device to smartphone, handheld device can provide its data via I2C pins.

RK — Sat, 21 Jul 2018 03:49:17 GMT

There are quite a few ready-built modules which come pre-certified. You could build your own right onto the board but the certification is worth it especially if you're not BLE experts.

I like Rigado myself https://www.rigado.com/products/modules-page-2-0/, they make solid small modules which just work. There's plenty of pins broken out so I2C is trivial. For your kind of usage the 52832 or 52810 modules sound like they'd be fine.

For development the best thing, in my opinion, would be to purchase a Nordic nRF52 development board, they're very inexpensive, then download the SDK and find an example which is close to what you want. They have I2C drivers, obviously they have loads of bluetooth examples.

There's no free lunch here, if you want to do this you'll have to learn the SDK, define your protocol and work out how to pick up the data on the phone side and write that too. But if you get a module like the Rigado and the devkit, all you have to worry about is writing the code.